


Like Father, Like Son

by ThatScottishShipper



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Reality, Angst and Feels, Bittersweet, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Keith (Voltron) Angst, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Platonic Relationships, Space Husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 18:11:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16123970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatScottishShipper/pseuds/ThatScottishShipper
Summary: Keith saw Shiro - his Shiro - in the eyes of his son.His Sven, his son.Their son.*Inspired by the Sven is Shiro and Keith's child AU, and a zuspacey comic.*





	Like Father, Like Son

“You remind me of my father.”

Sven’s words took Keith by surprise. He  _ never _ , in all his life, pegged himself as the sort to settle down in the warm throes of domestic bliss. Perhaps the aftermath of such a turbulent upbringing, his childhood and teenage years marked with conflict and alienation.

A “trouble case,” teachers called him.

Losing his father to the fire and his mother to the stars weighed heavily on the boy’s mind as he grew up, struggling to fit it anywhere. Still a socially awkward young man, Keith accepted that family life was off the cards for him. His lack of interest in dating women was also an obstacle in this future plan.

‘Unless,’ Keith thought, ‘things really _ are _ that different in an alternate reality…’

 

After all, in the infinite possibilities of these alternate realities, much may have changed in the Paladin’s life.

His parents could still be alive.

The conflict with the Galra might be a distant memory.

And Shiro wasn’t missing in the merciless vastness of space somewhere.

All these things that formed Keith’s unhappiness were like bubbles on the needle of an alternate reality. Like a bad dream that one scarcely recalled having.

Then maybe, just maybe, another Keith out there was capable of being loved.

 

Misinterpreting Keith’s silence as disbelief, Sven reached into his pocket and retrieved a piece of paper. It clearly had great sentimental value to the young man, as he gazed, his expression softening momentarily, before he held it out.

“Here,” Sven said, disguising his emotion well. “Take a look.”

 

The Red Paladin hesitantly took the paper and then realised it was a photograph, worn by the sands of time and years of importance to Sven. His heart began to race, anticipation gnawing at every nerve.

He  _ knew _ he shouldn’t look.

His only reward for indulging in his curiosity was courting disaster in his own reality, the burden of knowledge potentially being too costly. The grasp of his own life could change forever. As much as he begged himself not to, Keith - vulnerable from loneliness - did just that.

As Keith’s eyes widened upon gazing at the picture, Sven spoke with reserved softness. “Or should I say, _ one _ of my fathers…”

 

The photograph, clear as day, revealed an older Keith, standing by a familiar man, beaming in spite of what was visibly a difficult future. The world behind them was in ruins, a deserted landscape, with something resembling a makeshift camp somewhere they did not desire to be found. With tattered survival clothing and a deserted world, the two lovers still shared the warmest smiles with the anonymous photographer. The absolute picture of bliss during hardships.

Silver and gold bands glistened on their joined hands.

And this Alternate Keith shared that happiness with another Shiro.

 

With a sad smile, Keith returned the perfect picture. When their eyes met, a flicker of emotions beyond their separate realities passed between them, and Keith saw Shiro -  _ his _ Shiro - in the eyes of his son.

His Sven, his son.

_ Their _ son.

Sympathy softened Keith, thoughts of his own long lost parents lingering in his mind. That same pain clouded Sven’s expression and that is when Keith knew the other man was alone too. Someone, or something, in his existence took his parents from him.

Like father, like son.

 

Keith’s voice caught in his throat. “How long?”

“Too long,” Sven answered, unable to tear himself away from that sad gaze.

An eternity passed between them, yearning for a shared reality absent of loss and heartache. The stars between them crossed, allowing them this quiet moment.

“I’m sorry,” Keith said, understanding that pain. “You didn’t deserve this legacy.”

Sven’s surprisingly tender voice stirred forth an unfamiliar emotion. “You gave me life, and love. Both of you.” He held his hand to his chest. “And the most important words in times of trouble… ‘Patience yields focus.’”

 

That is what broke Keith. Shiro’s love for his son, for Keith, transcended entire realities and that gave the Paladin hope for the first time since the absence of his heart’s inspiration. He drew Sven into a tight embrace, burying his face against his shoulder and trying to hold back the tears to no avail.

An entire life of holding his heart back spilled forth in his loving arms and both men, pained by personal loss, sought long needed comfort in each other.

As the fathers Sven lost and the loved ones Keith mourned.

 

“I’m sorry,” Keith sobbed quietly, as if he were responsible for the young man’s sadness. “I’m so sorry…”

And Sven, strong and dependable Sven, finally placed a comforting hand on Keith’s back, attempting to comfort his own alternate father. “Dry your tears. You have nothing to apologise for, dad.”

Surprise seized them both, the words spoken as naturally as if Sven were in his own reality and talking to his own father. As Keith stilled, flooded with emotions he never knew he had, Sven felt a shudder of sentiment pass through him as he hugged the other man tighter.

It scared them both, their longing for a memory that bound them together.

 

Sven wanted his fathers and Keith cried out for the son he never knew he had.

And for Shiro, who completed their family beyond the stars.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Tweets from the lovelies of the Voltron fandom theorising Sven as the lovechild of Shiro and Keith. Although it's clear that Sven from VLD is an homage to the 80s version, this idea was too sweet to pass up, though I was swept into a completely bittersweet direction with this story.
> 
> My apologies for the feels.
> 
> The story is set during S2 when Shiro is missing, so Keith feels that loss harder, especially when confronted with his son, Sven, from another reality. Initially, the hug was to be triggered by Sven comforting Keith with a shoulder touch like Shiro did, but then I thought to myself, "how can I make this more of a sucker punch to the feels?" Then I remembered good old "patience yields focus" and the rest is history.
> 
> Sadly, I cannot find any connections to the creator of this fandom theory, so it is dedicated to all the Voltron sweethearts who love this headcanon. (Though if you believe you kick started this theory, please do get in touch. Love to thank you personally because THE FEELS.)
> 
> A fan comic by @zuspacey did inspire my desire to write this story, so I give my greatest thanks and kudos to this creator for that. <3


End file.
